The Crystal Egg by H.G. Wells
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the crystal Egg

by H .G .Wells

there_was, until a year ago, a little and very grimy- looking shop near Seven Dials, over which, in weather- worn yellow lettering, the name of "C . cave, naturalist and dealer in Antiquities," was inscribed . the contents of_its window were curiously variegated . they comprised some elephant tusks and an imperfect set of chessmen, beads and weapons, a box of eyes, two skulls of tigers and one human, several moth- eaten stuffed monkeys ( one holding a lamp), an old- fashioned cabinet, a fly- blown ostrich egg or so, some fishing- tackle, and an extraordinarily dirty, empty glass fish- tank . there_was also, at_the moment the story begins, a mass of crystal, worked into_the shape of an egg and brilliantly polished . and at_that two people who stood outside the window were looking, one_of_them a tall, thin clergyman, the other a black- bearded young man of dusky complexion and unobtrusive costume . the dusky young man spoke with eager gesticulation, and seemed anxious for_his companion to purchase the article .

while they were there, Mr cave came into his shop, his beard still wagging with_the bread and butter of_his tea . when he_saw these men and_the object of_their regard, his countenance fell . he glanced guiltily over his shoulder, and softly shut the door . he_was a little old man, with pale face and peculiar watery blue eyes; his hair was a dirty grey, and he wore a shabby blue frock- coat, an ancient silk hat, and carpet slippers very_much down at heel . he remained watching the two men as_they talked . the clergyman went deep into his trouser pocket, examined a handful of money, and showed his teeth in an agreeable smile .Mr cave seemed still more depressed when_they came into_the shop .

the clergyman, without any ceremony, asked the price of_the crystal egg .Mr cave glanced nervously towards the door leading into_the parlour, and said five pounds . the clergyman protested that_the price was high, to_his companion as_well as_to Mr cave-- it_was, indeed, very_much more than Mr cave had intended to ask when he had stocked the article-- and an attempt at bargaining ensued .Mr cave stepped to_the shop door, and held it open ."Five pounds is my price," he_said, as_though he_wished to save himself the trouble of unprofitable discussion . as he_did so, the upper portion of a woman's face appeared above the blind in_the glass upper panel of_the door leading into_the parlour, and stared curiously at_the two customers ."Five pounds is my price," said Mr cave, with a quiver in_his voice .

the swarthy young man had so_far remained a spectator, watching cave keenly . now he spoke ." give him five pounds," he_said . the clergyman glanced at him to_see if he were in earnest, and when he looked at Mr cave again, he_saw that_the latter's face was white ." it's alot of money," said the clergyman, and, diving into his pocket, began counting his resources . he had little more than thirty shillings, and he appealed to_his companion, with_whom he_seemed to_be on terms of considerable intimacy . this gave Mr cave an opportunity of collecting his thoughts, and he began to explain in an agitated manner that_the crystal was not, as a matter of fact, entirely free for sale . his two customers were naturally surprised at_this, and inquired why he had_not thought of_that before he began to bargain .Mr cave became confused, but he stuck to_his story, that_the crystal was not in_the market that afternoon, that a probable purchaser of it had already appeared . the two, treating this as an attempt to raise the price still further, made as if_they_would leave the shop . but at_this point the parlour door opened, and_the owner of_the dark fringe and_the little eyes appeared .

she was a coarse- featured, corpulent woman, younger and very_much larger than Mr cave; she walked heavily, and her face was flushed ." that crystal _is for sale," she said ." and five pounds is a good enough price for_it . I_can't think what you're about, cave, not to take_the gentleman's offer ! "

Mr cave, greatly perturbed by_the irruption, looked angrily at her over the rims of_his spectacles, and, without excessive assurance, asserted his right to manage his business in_his own way . an altercation began . the two customers watched the scene with interest and some amusement, occasionally assisting Mrs cave with suggestions .Mr cave, hard driven, persisted in a confused and impossible story of an inquiry for_the crystal that morning, and_his agitation became painful . but he stuck to_his point with extraordinary persistence . it was_the young oriental who ended this curious controversy . he proposed that_they should call again in_the course of two days-- so as to_give the alleged inquirer a fair chance ." and then we_must insist," said the clergyman ."Five pounds ." Mrs cave took it on herself to apologise for her husband, explaining that he_was sometimes "a little odd," and as_the two customers left, the couple prepared for a free discussion of_the incident in all its bearings .

Mrs cave talked to her husband with singular directness . the poor little man, quivering with emotion, muddled himself between his stories, maintaining on_the one hand that he had another customer in view, and on_the other asserting that_the crystal was honestly worth ten guineas ." why did you ask five pounds ? " said his wife ."_Do let me manage my business my own way ! " said Mr cave .

Mr cave had living with_him a step- daughter and a step- son, and at supper that night the transaction was re-discussed . none_of_them had a high opinion of Mr cave's business methods, and this action seemed aculminating folly .

" it's my opinion he's refused that crystal before," said the step- son, a loose-limbed lout of eighteen .

" but Five Pounds ! " said the step- daughter, an argumentative young woman of six- and-twenty .

Mr cave's answers were wretched; he_could only mumble weak assertions that he_knew his own business best . they drove him from_his half- eaten supper into_the shop, to close it for_the night, his ears aflame and tears of vexation behind his spectacles . why had he left the crystal in_the window so_long ? the folly of it ! that was_the trouble closest in_his mind . for a time he could_see no way of evading sale .

after supper his step- daughter and step- son smartened themselves up and went out and_his wife retired upstairs to reflect upon_the business aspects of_the crystal, over a little sugar and lemon and so forth in hot water .Mr cave went into_the shop, and stayed there until late, ostensibly to_make ornamental rockeries for gold- fish cases, but really for a private purpose that_will_be better explained later . the next_day Mrs cave found that_the crystal had_been removed from_the window, and was lying behind some second- hand books on angling . she replaced it in a conspicuous position . but she did_not argue further about_it, as a nervous headache disinclined her from debate .Mr cave was always disinclined . the day passed disagreeably .Mr cave was, if anything, more absent- minded than usual, and uncommonly irritable withal . in_the afternoon, when his wife was taking her customary sleep, he removed the crystal from_the window again .

the next_day Mr cave had to deliver a consignment of dog- fish at one_of_the hospital schools, where they were needed for dissection . in_his absence Mrs cave's mind reverted to_the topic of_the crystal, and_the methods of expenditure suitable to a windfall of five pounds . she had already devised some very agreeable expedients, among others a dress of green silk for herself and a trip to Richmond, when ajangling of_the front door bell summoned her into_the shop . the customer was an examination coach who came to complain of_the non- delivery of certain frogs asked for_the previous day .Mrs cave did_not approve of_this particular branch of Mr cave's business, and_the gentleman, who had called in a somewhat aggressive mood, retired after a brief exchange of words-- entirely civil, so_far as he_was concerned .Mrs cave's eye then naturally turned to_the window; for_the sight of_the crystal was an assurance of_the five pounds and of her dreams . what_was her surprise to_find it gone !

she went to_the place behind the locker on_the counter, where she had discovered it the day before . it_was not there; and she immediately began an eager search about_the shop .

when Mr cave returned from_his business with_the dogfish, about a quarter to two in_the afternoon, he_found the shop in some confusion, and_his wife, extremely exasperated and on her knees behind the counter, routing among his taxidermic material . her face came up hot and angry over the counter, as_the jangling bell announced his return, and she forthwith accused him of "hiding it ."

" hid what ? " asked Mr cave .

" the crystal ! "

at_that Mr cave, apparently much surprised, rushed to_the window ."Isn't it here ? " he_said ." great Heavens ! what has become of it ? "

just then Mr cave's step- son re- entered the shop from, the inner room-- he had come home a minute or so before Mr cave-- and he_was blaspheming freely . he_was apprenticed to a second- hand furniture dealer down the road, but he had his meals at home, and he_was naturally annoyed to_find no dinner ready .

but when he heard of_the loss of_the crystal, he forgot his meal, and_his anger was diverted from_his mother to_his step- father . their first idea, of_course, was_that he had hidden it . but Mr cave stoutly denied all knowledge of_its fate, freely offering his bedabbled affidavit in_the matter-- and at last was worked up_to_the point of accusing, first, his wife and then his stepson of having taken it with a view to a private sale . so began an exceedingly acrimonious and emotional discussion, which ended for_Mrs cave in a peculiar nervous condition midway between hysterics and amuck, and caused the step- son to_be half- an- hour late at_the furniture establishment in_the afternoon .Mr cave took refuge from_his wife's emotions in_the shop .

in_the evening the matter was resumed, with less passion and in a judicial spirit, under the presidency of_the step- daughter . the supper passed unhappily and culminated in a painful scene .Mr cave gave way at last to extreme exasperation, and went out banging the front door violently . the rest of_the family, having discussed him with_the freedom his absence warranted, hunted the house from garret to cellar, hoping to light upon_the crystal .

the next_day the two customers called again . they were received by Mrs cave almost in tears . it transpired that no one could imagine all that she had stood from cave at various times in her married pilgrimage .. .. she also gave agarbled account of_the disappearance . the clergyman and_the oriental laughed silently at one another, and said it_was very extraordinary . as Mrs cave seemed disposed to_give them the complete history of her life they made to leave the shop . thereupon Mrs cave, still clinging to hope, asked for_the clergyman's address, so_that, if she_could get anything out of cave, she might communicate it . the address was duly given, but apparently was afterwards mislaid .Mrs cave can remember nothing about_it .

in_the evening of_that day the Caves seem to_have exhausted their emotions, and Mr cave, who had_been out in_the afternoon, supped in agloomy isolation that contrasted pleasantly with_the impassioned controversy of_the previous days . for some_time matters were very badly strained in_the cave household, but neither crystal nor customer reappeared .

now, without mincing the matter, we_must admit that Mr cave was a liar . he_knew perfectly well where the crystal was . it_was in_the rooms of Mr Jacoby Wace, assistant demonstrator at St .Catherine's hospital, Westbourne street . it stood on_the sideboard partially covered by a black velvet cloth, and beside a decanter of American whisky . it_is from Mr Wace, indeed, that_the particulars upon_which this narrative is based were derived . cave had taken off the thing to_the hospital hidden in_the dog- fish sack, and there had pressed the young investigator to_keep it for him .Mr Wace was a little dubious at first . his relationship to cave was peculiar . he had a taste for singular characters, and he had more than once invited the old man to smoke and drink in_his rooms, and to unfold his rather amusing views of life in general and of_his wife in_particular .Mr Wace had encountered Mrs cave, too, on occasions when Mr cave was not at home to attend to him . he_knew the constant interference to_which cave was subjected, and having weighed the story judicially, he decided to_give the crystal a refuge .Mr cave promised to explain the reasons for_his remarkable affection for_the crystal more fully on a later occasion, but he spoke distinctly of seeing visions therein . he_called on Mr Wace the same evening .

he_told a complicated story . the crystal he_said had come into his possession with other oddments at_the forced sale of another curiosity dealer's effects, and not knowing what its value might_be, he had ticketed it at ten shillings . it had hung upon his hands at_that price for some months, and he_was thinking of "reducing the figure," when he_made a singular discovery .

at_that_time his health was very bad-- and it

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